Horseshoe



Oct. 23, 1928.

A. R. SWANSTROM HORSESHOE Original Filed Dec. 20, 1923 fnl/enz or Art/z ur/EJWamZfm/n fll/iqflffl M A TTOBNEYJ Patented Oct. 23, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR R. SWANSTBOM, F DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

| HORSESHOE.

Application filed December 20, 1923, Serial No. 681,857. Renewed January 30, 1928.

The object of my invention is to provide means for mounting a calk on a horseshoe which will hold it securely and prevent twisting or rotary movement of the calk and the consequent loosening of it in the shoe socket.

A further object is to provide a calk capable of application to either the toe or heel of the shoe and capable of adjustment to compensate for slight variations in the relative position of the sockets in the shoe wherein the calk is mounted.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description.

The invention consists generally in various constructions and combinations all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a horseshoe with my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the calkremoved from the shoe;

Fig. 8 is a side view of a modified construcl tion Fig. 4C is a similar view of another modification;

Fig. is a plan view of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of another modification;

Fig. 7 is a side view showing the reverse of the modified construct-ion of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is a view showing the calk blade with toothed or serrated edge.

In the drawing, 2 represents a horseshoe of ordinary construction having sockets 3 arranged in pairs in the toe and heel of the shoe. These sockets are tapered slightly to receive the correspondingly tapered studs 4 which are adapted to fit snugly therein. A blade 5 is formed on the upper ends of the studs and has a straight outer face 6 and an inner face 7 that is preferably inclined or tapered. The blade bridges the space between the studs and is preferably mounted thereon in advance of the longitudinal axes of the studs as indicated in Fig 1, and as there shown the blade is preferably curved from end to end so that the edge thereof for contact with the ground will follow substantially the arc of a circle. The purpose of having this blade curved slightly is to allow the blacksmith to conveniently increase the distance between the studs when it is necessary to do so in fitting the studs into the sockets of the shoe. Evidently, if the blade were straight and the blacksmith found it necessary to separate the studs a greater distance he would have to draw the plate slightly by heating it or in some other way, while the slight curve in the plate permits the distance between the studs to be instantly increased by striking the blade with a hammer and decreasing slightly the degree of curvature. In the same way, if the blacksmith wishes to draw the studs together he can do so by bending the blade in the other direction to increase the degree of curvature. The straight ening of the blade will increase the distance between the studs as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Evidently with the blade sup ported at both ends on the studs it will be impossible to loosen the studs by a twisting rotary strain on the blade, as lateral pressure on one end of the blade and its supporting stud will tend to force the other stud more firmly against the wall of the socket. When only one socket and stud is provided for a shoe calk any twisting or rotary strain to which the calk is frequently subjected will tend to loosen it and will soon allow it to drop out of the shoe.

In Fig. 3, I have shown a modified construction which consists in providing a transverse recess 8 preferably near the middle of the plate and extending to a pointsufliciently near its lower edge to allow it to bend vertically or in the planeof the plate as well as transversely thereof, thus further adapting the device for conveniently and firmly fitting the tapered studs into the sockets of the shoe.

In Fig. 4:, the middle portion of the plate is cut away as indicated at 9 and a bridge 10, preferably arched as shown, connects the opposite lower portions of the ends of the plate.

Fig. 5 illustrates how this bridge may be cut away as indicated at 11 to provide less metal at this point and facilitate bending to adjust the studs to enter the sockets of the shoe.

In Fig. 6, a bridge 12 is shown curved outwardly to project beyond the plane of the plate having, however, substantially the same function as the bridges shown in the other views. In Fig. 7, the bridge is curved downwardly in the opposite direction from the curvature of the arch shown in Fig. 4. These bridges all allow for transverse and vertical movement of one end of the plate with reof the ends of the blade.

spect to the other to allow accurate fitting of the studs in the sockets, and at the same time the bridges hold the plate ends against rotary or twisting movement which would allow the studs to turn in the sockets and become loosened by such movement.

In Fig. 8, a solid plate is shown having a series of indentations or notches 13 forming teeth or serrations on the tread edge of the plate. These teeth maybe provided in the calk plate when the shoe is to be used on a slippery road or pavement for the purpose of allowing a better grip on the roadway.

I have shown the calk applied to the toe of the shoe; but similar sockets 3 are formed in the heel, and the same type of calk mounted on the tapered studs in substantially the same way maybe used at the heel. of the shoe as well asat the toe.

I have shown and described various forms of a bridge connecting the ends of the calk plate, but I do not wish to limit n'iyself to any of these structures as various otherways may be devised for weakening the middle portion of the blade to allow for the relative adjustment of the ends of the blades and the studs and still be'within the scope of my invention.

The forms of the invention shown in Figs. 3, i, 5, 6, and 7, are particularly valuable in that the ground engaging surface of the blade is broken, and provides corners and edges 17 as bites or grips arranged intermediately This feature of the invention is advantageous for one reason that the corners 16 arethrown forward during adjustment at the weakened portion to increase the gripping action of theblade when in use. Another advantage the arrangement of the weakened portion at the forward side of the calk. This is true for the reason that if we imagine a line drawn through the axes of the calk the points l6' and 17 lie forwardlyof the axes, and a slight forward adjustmentof the middle portion'obtains a greater relative adjusting movement between the studs. This feature which provides for, a greater adjustinn; movement of the studs, as the result of a relatively small bending movement at the weakened portion is a valuable feature. The bites 1617, in conjunctionwith the bites 20 at the terminal portions of the blade improve the groLind-gripping action of the blade. The device as shown in Fig. 8 also providesbites 21 which also assist in gripping. However, it will be noted that as shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7, the bites are provided as the result of weakening the central portion. It will be understood that whatever "the area ofthe weakened portion,if this area is less than the vertical dimension of the blade or if its thickness is less than the thickness of the blade, these corners l6 and edges 17 will 'be provided at the ground-engag ng side.

It will be noted that the thickness of the weakened portions is, in'Figs. l, 5, 6, and 7,

shown as less than the thickness of the blade 5. T his permits an annealing operation to be performed without aifecting those portions of the blade adjacent the weakened portion, because the cross-sectional area at the point of connection is reduced to prevent that amount of heat conduction to the other parts, which would reduce the temper, and therefore soften the unweakened lateral portions of the blade.

' I claim as my invention 1. The combination with a horseshoe having sockets therein, of a calk comprising; studs to fit snugly within said sockets, a blade'supported by said studs and. having a transverse opening thereinextending partially through said blade, and forming a bridge across said opening and connecting the end portions of said blade, said bridge allowing said blade to be conveniently bent to register said studs with their respective sockets.

2. The combination with a horseshoe having a series of sockets therein, of a calkcomprising studs to fit said sockets, and a blade mounted on said studs having a weakened area between its ends to allow benc'ling of the blade perpendicularly of the'shoe.

3. A calk having studs connected by a blade, said blade slotted intermediately toperm'it bending adji'istments in direction of the axes of the studs. 7

a. A calk having taperingstuds connected bya blade, said blade slotted intermediately and bowed to permit bending adjustments both in direction of taper of the studs, and at angles transversely to the direction of taper.

5. A. calk having studs connected by a blade, said blade havinggfa weakened area formed by slotting and by reducing the'thickness, respectively in directions at angles to one another.

6. A calk having studs connectedby a blade, said blade having a weakened area formed by slotting in two directions respectively inwardly from the ground-engaging edge and inwardly from the rear face.

7. A. calk having studs connected by a blade, said blade having a weakened area'formed by slotting in two directions respectively inwardly fromthe ground-engaging edge and inwardly from therea'r face, the said weakened portion lying forwardly of a line drawn through theaxes of the studs.

8. The combination with a horseshoe having a series of sockets therein, of a calk providing studs to fit said sockets, and a blade on said studs 'andhaving a weakened area intermediatelyof the studs to allow bending of the blade, the said area being formed by slotting the bladein two directions, and at a point intermediate the studs.

'9. The combination with a horseshoe having a series of sockets. therein, of a calk providing studs to fit said sockets, and a blade on said studs having a weakened area intermediately of the studs, theweakened area being i formed by reducing the cross-sectional area in two directions substantially perpendicular to one another.

10. A calk having studs connected by a blade, said blade having two sections, connected by an intermediate section having its area reduced in two directions to form a weakened area of substantially less cross-section than that of the connected portions.

11. A calk having studs connected by a blade, said blade having a weakened area formed by slotting in two directions to substantially decrease the cross-section of the connecting portion.

12. A call: having studs connected by a blade, having a reduced portion intermediately of the studs, the cross-sectional area of which is less than both the thickness and width of the blade, whereby an annealing operation can be performed to make said connecting portion bendable without afiecting the temper of the adjacent portions.

13. A calk having studs connected by a blade, the said blade comprising two lateral sections, connected by an intermediate section which is of substantially less cross-sectional area in two directions, than that of the elements which it connects.

14. A calk having studs connected by a blade, said blade having a weakened area formed by reducing the thickness in directions substantially perpendicular to one another.

15. A pair of spurs each having a stud perpendicular to its base, an element connecting the spurs in direction transversely to the stud axes and only at a point adjacent the bases of the spurs, the cross-sectional area of the connecting element being substantially less than that of the spurs, whereby compensatory movements of the studs to fit an opening may be had although one stud may be driven farther into an opening than the other, and whereby under the latter condition the studs will not work out of their openings during use.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of December 1923.

ARTHUR R. SWANSTROM. 

